Hosepipe ban in Milford area to end on Monday after five months  

The hosepipe ban that has been in place on the Milford regional public water supply since early May is to end on October 13.

The water conservation order was first imposed on May 6 following a sharp drop in water levels at Lake Colmcille, which supplies water to the Milford, Kerrykeel, and Ramelton areas.

Despite the restrictions being lifted, Uisce Éireann is urging customers to remain vigilant and continue using water wisely all year round. 

 “We would like to sincerely thank the people of Milford, Kerrykeel, and Ramelton for their strong support and cooperation throughout the spring and summer,” the utility said.

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“The efforts of these communities to reduce water usage and report leaks have been instrumental in protecting the local supply during a period of unprecedented pressure. 

“We’re extremely grateful to the people of Donegal for their efforts to conserve water over the spring and summer,” said Damien O’Sullivan, Uisce Éireann’s Water Operations Manager for Donegal. “Now that the hosepipe ban is lifted, it’s more important than ever that we don’t lose momentum. Despite the heavy rainfall since autumn arrived, it will take considerable time for Lake Colmcille, which supplies water to the Milford area, to recover.

“We have been doing everything we can to protect and maintain supply for our customers on the Milford Regional Public Water Supply since spring. This has included network management, reducing abstraction from the lake by 40% to protect and maintain the water supply, as well as deploying extra resources to find and fix critical leaks in the water network.

“However, we also need the public’s continued support to protect the supply by conserving water, as the water levels in the lake continue to be much lower than usual. Even small changes in how we use water can make a big difference. We are also appealing to customers across Co Donegal to continue to report leaks to us at 1800 278 278.”